


The Shield - or - Of Alisaie and Alphinaud Leveilleur

by guardian76



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-06-09 22:33:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19485364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/guardian76/pseuds/guardian76
Summary: SPOILERS: This story takes place after Heavensward 3.56, it is recommended that you complete these quests prior to reading this story.Alisaie and Alphinaud discuss the events prior, the impact of it all and what it means for the land.





	The Shield - or - Of Alisaie and Alphinaud Leveilleur

[ **SPOILER WARNING:** **This story takes place after FFXIV** ** _Heavensward_** **3.56, it is recommended you complete these questlines before reading this story]**

The Warrior of Light crossed her arms as she stared across Rising Stones. What little left of the Scions were shaken by the lost of Papalymo; while it indeed pained her - knowing that she’ll never see her friend again, nothing would compare to Yda’s own sorrow.

Young Alphinaud Leveilleur sat their across from the young Hyur, whatever shock he possessed was hidden as he tried to console Yda. The Warrior’s eyes soften for the moment, Alphinaud had scarcely reached the age of 17 and bared so much weight of responsibility. Strangely enough, she felt as if the boy felt responsible over all of Eorzea more so than herself.

With a sigh, the Warrior of Light turned away and found herself face to face with Thancred Waters. The once roguish, dashingly handsome man looked disheveled and exhausted. A few bruises covered his face and jaw, with a distinct limp that showed he was still wounded after the battle for Baelsar's Wall. Nay it was not from fighting the Imperials or the mislead Ala Mhegan resistance; but from Yda’s own protest, for the man carried the woman away from the battlements so Papalymo could perform his life-costing ritual.

“How are you holding up?” asked the Warrior.

“For the moment, I’ll live.” Thancred cringed, sitting down as a stocklady scampered over with the ale he asked for only moments prior. “And I’ll have to live every day from now on thinking about today.”

Pulling out a second glass, he held it outwards, his sole eye unbandaged looking up the Warrior almost pleadingly. With a warm smile, the Warrior nodded and sat down.

“You did what you had to do.” The Warrior said slowly. “You didn’t condemned Papalymo Thancred. He had made his choice, gave us a fighting chance. You didn’t end his life, but you saved Yda’s.”

“I’ll try my best to be comforted by those words dear Warrior.” Thancred tried his best smirk, he blinked as Alphinaud scuttled over and sat down. The two gave a start as the boy reached over for a glass, chucked it aside before downing the bottle. “Easy there Tough-stuff!” Thancred laughed as Alphinaud sputtered and choked. The Warrior quickly flanked the boy to help steady him. “You must be pretty shaken to be acting so rashly. Let’s try that again alright? But with... some lighter stuff.  _ And much more slowly _ , gods above boy.”

“Or you could be acting like a proper role-model and discourage such improper behaviour for my Brother Dear.” said stern, disapproving voice from behind the trio. Glancing up, the Warrior saw for a split second, what she believed was a second Alphinaud, this time wearing more feminine clothing. Despite their dealings with the Warriors of Darkness a few weeks prior, it was still jarring for the Warrior to see Alphinaud's twin sister Alisaie.

“Thancred, your behaviour at times can be such unbecoming.” Alisaie scoffed before sitting down besides her brother. Without a word, she reached out and held the boys hand. The two looked at each other, scarcely saying a single word before leaning her head upon Alphinaud’s shoulder and closed her eyes.

As the hours waned and what little Scions remained begun scattering to the evening hours; Alphinaud, Alisaie, and the Warrior were few who remained occupying the Rising Stones. 

“Oh by all means, show us your heroic bravado!” Alisaie scoffed, prompting a strange look over the lad. The Warrior took a step back in surprise as the Elezan snatched her sword and shield before jumping onto a table.

“I am the Warrior of Light!” Alphinaud proclaimed, swinging the mighty blade confidently into the air while leveling his shield. “I demand that you cease your hostilities least you feel the bite of my blade and the burn of my wrath-”

The Warrior reached out, knowing what was to come as the weight of her weapons caused the small Elezen to topple off his pedestal and onto the ground in an ungracious heap. Despite her startling reflexes, all she managed to do was grab her blade least it cut the lad.

“Alphy!” The Warrior exclaimed, racing over to help the poor lad back to his feet.

“‘Alphy’?” Alisaie smirked teasingly towards The Warrior. “My my, do pray tell: have you and my brother been a ‘quote and unquote’ a ‘thing’ during my absence?”

Alphinaud fell into a brilliant shade of red before snapping back at his twin sister.

“Now that is far from fair!” He snapped as Alisaie let out a somewhat uncharacteristic giggle. “I should let you know that my relationship with the Warrior of Light has been strictly professional!”

“Is that so?” Alisaie replied with a mockingly air of laughter. “The way she looked at you with such concern would be betray that claim Brother Dear, mayhap that would be the cause of the two of you delaying your delve into the Coils back in the day-”

“At the time the work with the Crystal Braves seemed far more important than diving into ancient Allag ruins!” Alph snapped at the other, while The Warrior glanced back and forth at the two; she felt like a third wheel so to speak, intruding upon a family argument best left for unheard ears.

“Oh and we both know how that venture turned out!” Alisaie laughed as fluster continued to grow upon Alphinaud's demeanour. “Anyways, I have heard about you’re little venture into Ishgardian territories- alone in the wild with a competent, powerful lady. Nay not one, but  _ two _ woman to say the least.”

“You’re forgetting about Estinien, he too traveled among us during those trying times.” Alphinaud protested.

“My my, are you trying to tell me that he too was a thing-” Alisaie giggled as fluster fell upon Alphinaud in droves.

The Warrior simply smiled, grateful of the moment. The days were rough, and she knew that they would only become darker.

Taking the Warriors shield away from Alphinaud, Alisaie lifted it up to admire the sheen. In the reflection of this strange Allagan replica, she could eye their peculiar friend without causing much alarm. The Warrior was an enigma to her, to anyone for that matter. Even Alphinaud despite spending the better part of the year with the lass knew nothing about her.

The Warrior naught spoke of the land she hailed from, nor her true name. Alisaie knew the Warrior had taken many forms over the past year and many names. A bit of her wonders if there was actually more than one Warrior of Light due to the many claims of the surrounding denizens.

All she knew of the Warrior was that she held a steadfast conviction, tolling nearly every waking hour of the day learning new trades, new weapons, gathering supplies for the locals be it ore, wood, or food. A near obsession upon gathering Tomestones for the betterment of freekind; some would claim she was not even mortal.

The Warrior spoke not of her past, not her proper one of course. It would change with every retelling, a not so subtle way of the Warrior asking the would-be interviewer no more prying.

Alisaie had, of course, her own theories of their guardian/saviour. Suspicions of that the Warrior was running from something or someone; as if to escape by burying herself within her work. None would blame her of course as Alisaie knew, or rather understood the burdens of being the Light’s Chosen.

“And with that, I’ll turn in for the night.” The Warrior bowed, giving a small smile at the Twins before moving for the door. “You two should rest, we have a busy day tomorrow.”

“We will retire soon after.” Alphinaud bowed as the Warrior entered her quarters. Turning to his sister, he found the lass still carrying it. “You’re holding it wrong.” Alphinaud spoke up. Had it been anyone else, Alisaie would of presumed the statement would be pay-back over her teasing prior. But this was Alphinaud, it was genuine criticism for his sister- an effort to bond over something else than work.

“Well then... by all means.” Alisaie smirked, prompting her brother to walk over and gently guide her position to hold the shield.

While carrying the block of steel with both hands it was easily manageable, even for the young 17 year old Elezan. But the moment she was left with a single arm, it hit home on how heavy the shield was. Every day, for the past year their peculiar friend carried this shield into battle. It was the same device that saved her life a few times in the past few weeks. How their friend find the strength to carry this and repel a devastating attack on a regular basis astounded her.

“Where have you learned this little tidbit of knowledge.” asked Alisaie as Alphinaud took a step back to critique his own work. “It seems most unlike you to use manual labour over that tome our Grandfather gave us.”

“While wandering the Dravanian territories, Estinien and our strange friend found the time to refine my techniques.” Alphinaud explained, stepping forward. “I’m going to gently push you now, you will try and repel my ‘attack’.”

“Oh this should be good.” Alisaie scoffed, promoting her brother to respond with a smirk of his own.

It was by no means a powerful thrust, a simple tap. But the weight of the shield seemed to imbalance her delicate legs, and with a yelp she toppled backwards.

“What did you do!?” Alisaie snapped as Alphinaud chuckled lightly at his sisters predicament. “You set me up to fail!”

“No, it's just being a shieldbearer is much more work that it appears Sister Dear.” Alphinaud smiled warmly, helping his sister up. “It’s weight a heavy burden for those who... those who-”

Alphinaud suddenly fell back, gripping his face as the days events finally caught up to him in full. Alisaie dropped the Shield and quickly rushed to her brothers side.

“Hey, hey!” She breathed, attempting to console her other. “Easy there Alph, Alphy, look at me today was not your fault.”

“It’s all my fault.” Alphinaud protested, looking up at his sister with a pained expression. “I tried to talk him down, I tried to  _ reason _ with him... but I failed. There was so much death Alisaie, So much needless bloodshed because I failed to find words, failed to reach him. And Papalymo is gone because of... Because I...  _ I _ could not-” choking on his words, Alisaie pulled her brother closer. Shaking gently from silent and tearless sobs, Alphinaud looked up towards the cold stone ceiling of the Scions headquarters.

“Tell me my dear Sister.” Alphinaud breathed, finding words once more. “Tell me why everything I do, ends in so much death. The Braves... the Wall... all on me. A moment would past and I think I’ve learned my lesson. That my next decision will be...  _ the right one _ . And then I fail- and then so many people die because of my arrogance.”

In silence, the two sat there on the cold floor before Alphinaud spoke, breaking the silence with a few words: “I do not know how Grandfather handled all this. How he managed to save... everyone.”

“By giving his life.” Alisaie said slowly, realization sinking in to the lass. “Now don’t be off getting any ideas alright?! I need you right here in this very moment. And every moment thereafter.”

Alphinaud smiled warmly at Alisaie, allowing the lass to wipe away any stray tear that formed upon his face. “I’ll try.”

“You won’t try!” Alisaie snapped as Alphinaud chuckled. The two rose and stood there in silence, a moment passed and then yet another before one of them found words.

“We should go and rest Sister.” Alphinaud said slowly. “Tomorrow, the Alliance will reconvene over the matter of this... Primal and how to deal with such. There is very little time we have left.”

“You’re right. We shall rest my dear brother.” Alisaie said as she took her brother’s hand, guiding him onwards towards the lads quarters. “We shall rest and enjoy the moment now, and leave tomorrow’s problems for our tomorrow’s selves.”

“Goodnight Alisaie.” Alphinaud smiled, giving his sister a courteous bow. “I do not know how my life would be without you.”

“Probably as well as you are now, except with less... me.” Alisaie smirked, kissing her brothers bow. “Now  _ sleep _ .”

As the wooden door closed, Alisaie begun extinguishing the candles within their headquarters. Leaving one to guide her through the darkness, a glint caught her eyes. The steel shield gleamed within the faint candles light, flickering with each ebb and flow of the candle’s flame reminded her of the same candlelight of years prior. Reading late into the night, and receiving word of the calamity within Eorzea. Of her Grandfather's demise.

With a sad smile, she left the hall and entered her room.

“And every moment thereafter.” She breathed, extinguishing the light with a simple breath.


End file.
